Join the April 30th Convening Here

Dear ASALH family,

The best time to have stopped this slow slide to fascism was last November; the second-best time is now. Earlier this year, after our First National Convening, we released the ASALH Magna Carta as a response to a challenge set forth by Representative Kweisi Mfume and as a way to reset the path toward democracy. We laid out ten things people could do to practice small daily acts of resistance. Since then, we have continued to find ways for ASALH to work alongside other civil rights organizations to think through what we should be doing at this moment as our history is being attacked and, in some cases, intentionally erased. Now that the path toward saving democracy is being discussed around the country, ASALH is once again stepping into this moment to remind people that democracy can only be saved by us, “We The People.” We are taking this moment to reset our Magna Carta as our North Star, as we believe that the path toward our freedom is rooted in making small daily acts of resistance.

This is the National Week of Action and ASALH, in partnership with the Freedom to Learn Network (convened by the African American Policy Forum, F2L is a coalition of the leading civil rights, human rights, and social justice organizations; democracy’s stakeholders; national teachers unions; education advocates; students; parents and people and organizations across the world) will be engaging in a series of activation activities to raise awareness about the defense of our history and our democracy.

April 30: SECOND NATIONAL CONVENING

We are one day out from our “Beyond the First 100 Days: Centering Racial Justice and Black History in Our Fight for Democracy” Second National Convening scheduled for this Wednesday, April 30, on Zoom from 7:00-8:30 p.m. EST/6:00-7:30 p.m. CST.

April 30 marks the end of 47’s First 100 Days: Join us for an urgent artivism conversation to provide an assessment of what these days, Executive Orders, and actions have meant for racial justice.

The conversation will be co-hosted by ASALH’s National President Karsonya (Kaye) Wise Whitehead and The African American Policy Forum’s (AAPF) Executive Director Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, and they will be in conversation with:

• Melanie L. Campbell, president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation
• Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League
• Shavon Arline-Bradley, president and chief executive officer for National Council of Negro Women, Inc. HQ
• Barbara Arnwine, president and founder of the Transformative Justice Coalition

Register for the Convening HERE

May 3 #HANDSOFFOURHISTORY GATHERING

At 11 a.m. EST on Saturday, May 3, we will gather at the John A. Wilson Building Steps for a program featuring calls to action from civil and human rights leaders, faith leaders, educators & parents. The program will be followed by a walk to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

STARTING ADDRESS:

John A. Wilson Building Steps

(across from Freedom Plaza)

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20004

ENDING ADDRESS:

National Museum of African American History and Culture

1400 Constitution Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20560

RSVP for the Gathering HERE

We have work to do, but we are built for this moment. I leave you here with our North Star as a reminder of what you need to do to raise your voice in defense of our history and our democracy.

1. Find the organizations and institutions doing the work you agree with and defend them with everything you have (not just with your thoughts and prayers).

2. Create local communities of action and accountability where you can work together to demand justice and equality.

3. Show up and be present in spaces where you are not expected to be, so you should plan to attend as many community political meetings as you can to speak up about what is happening in this country. Contact your Republican and Democratic Representatives: flood their inboxes, write them, call them, tweet them, visit them: do not let up because they will take your silence as a form of being complicit.

4. Create a Report Card to grade your Representatives and circulate it among members of Congress. Let them know that you are watching what they are doing and will hold them accountable.

5. Write Opinion Editorials for your local newspaper. All national movements begin locally, so speak to your immediate circle of influence –your co-workers, neighbors, teachers, church members, and family and keep them informed and challenge/encourage them to join the resistance.

6. Do not discount the power of a well-organized and planned march. People power pulls attention and a spotlight –use it to amplify your message and widen your base.

7. You must lead the leaders, so instead of waiting for your elected officials to set the Agenda, you work with your team to set it for them. Make them hear you and make them work for you. Make it costly for them to pivot, appease, or bend the knee in support of the issues that are detrimental to your community and our democracy.

8. Vote with your money! Make intentional, thoughtful purchases as often as you can. Shop local, buy small, and keep the money circulating within your community.

9. Real change happens when you are inside the room—so consider whether it is time to run for office. We need to put people in place with the intestinal fortitude to stand up for us and fight for and with us.

10. Using every platform you have, tell the truth about who we are and what we have contributed to this country. Discredit every lie and every half-truth at every opportunity that you have.

Sincerely,